Luxury Beliefs

[Precision]

Asking for a friend. When does kill a commie for mommie come back in style?

[Vonz90]

Reaffirms the concept of 'more money than sense'...

I am not sure I agree. The idea is (as is mentioned in the article) is that the beliefs serve as a signal of status, and thus procure status for the believer at least as long as they have the financial and social resources to transcend them. Status has a lot of value for people (seriously, look how much time and money people will pay for it) and this is probably a low cost means of getting it. Not so low cost for the poor who emulate it, but still.

That's what makes sociology so fascinating. There's room for both of your opinions in here.

More money than sense: the $900 jackets demonstrate that they're not using fiscal sense. The preponderance of North Face fleece a few years ago was the same thing in the midwest.

BUT... that they are also signaling power doesn't disprove the "no sense" issue. Many motivators in human psychology operate subconsciously. Just not always.

I pretty much agree with your points. The thing I firmly believe (and evidence suggests I am right) is that when smart people do things that are (or seem) stupid consistently, then they are likely doing it based on priorities that are either unseen or ar alien enough to go unnoticed in plain sight

This take (of belief as a luxury good) does an excellent job of providing a model to fit the observable data. Why do they believe these things which do not make sense, to gain status. So, does it make sense or not, that depends on how you value status.

[Termite]

D5Cav is 95% correct.

The rest is just trimmings.

[HTRN]

More money than sense: the $900 jackets demonstrate that they're not using fiscal sense.

When you make millions of dollars a year, spending 900 dollars on a jacket, or say 11 grand on a pair of hand made Lobb boots ( something i would do in a heartbeat if i had that kind of money) is like you buying a 50 cent candy bar.

[Weetabix]

More money than sense: the $900 jackets demonstrate that they're not using fiscal sense.

When you make millions of dollars a year, spending 900 dollars on a jacket, or say 11 grand on a pair of hand made Lobb boots ( something i would do in a heartbeat if i had that kind of money) is like you buying a 50 cent candy bar.

Fair enough, but I imagine a lot of it is signalling via the logo.

[HTRN]

Well, Lobb is expensive as their the last bespoke shoemakers in the world - theyre literally made to fit you, hence the obscene(by mass market shoes made by unskilled third world peasants earning less than a cup of starbucks a day) price.

Id buy a pair of Wellingtons tomorrow if i could afford them.

[Weetabix]

Well, Lobb is expensive as their the last bespoke shoemakers in the world - theyre literally made to fit you, hence the obscene(by mass market shoes made by unskilled third world peasants earning less than a cup of starbucks a day) price.

Id buy a pair of Wellingtons tomorrow if i could afford them.

We can always count on you!

I don't know what those shoes cost, but you're venturing over into The Millionaire Mind area, probably. Buying something initially expensive, but with a reasonable life cycle cost is not the same thing as buying something frivolous just to set yourself apart from the serfs.

[HTRN]

Its more a case of "I wear 11 eee sized shoes and finding footwear that fits properly is a nightmare".

Seriously, my toenails are all screwed up because while new balance fits halfway decent, its not quite right.

And i think this falls into the Samuel vimes theory of exonomic unfairness.